Though contractors don't always realize it, marketing always has--and will continue to be-- the best way for them to distinguish themselves from their competition. Now, for the first time, everything a building professional needs to know about marketing construction services has been pulled together in one easy-to-follow book. A "must read" for success in the twenty-first century!

The reviewer is the Past-President of the Construction Writers Association, and Publisher of the award-winning construction newsletter "Words from Woody."

Authors Kubal, Miller and SMPS' own Ron Worth have put togetherone of the strongest marketing books to come along in a long, longtime. This is a virtual encyclopedia of how-to marketing, weighting in at 420 pages plus a CD-ROM.

Finally we have a marketing book that recognizes we are in the electronic and digital age and that the internet has changes marketing forever. The summary of Chapter Two on "Virtual Construction" starts out, "Undoubtedly the virtual age is encroaching upon the construction industry. Its effects on how construction is completed will become obvious, and changes to how construction is sold and marketed in the twenty-first century will also occur." while that is an understatement, many firms have not yet realized that the twenty-first century is here and these things are happening all around us.

The CD-Rom, with its listing of internet hyperlinks, is worth the price of the book alone. Using this CD, you can access most of the information about our industry that is available today. The book's chapter on market research will show you just how valuable the internet and the CD can be.

While some of the chapters in the book are targeted to the construction field, most of the book is directly applicable to our entire industry. The chapters on "Creating a Marketing Plan" and "Marketing and Sales Technology and Marketing Materials," while illustrated with examples from the construction industry, are as good a general guide on "how to do it right" as you will find anywhere.

Some of the best of the book can be found in "Marketing Communication Plan" and "Getting Publicity for Your Business." Any firm can gain from reading and implementing the material in these chapters. The list of questions on how to quantify your prospects on page 99 needs to be copied and given to every marketer and principal in every firm in the land. It is a list of the basic questions, the ones not asked or, if they are, the answers are ignored.

I have a couple of bones to pick about the book. One is the title. Why not just call it Marketing Techniques for the Construction Industry? I guess they thought that mentioning 'profits' would get more attention. My problem with the title is that some will buy the book looking for the wrong thing and, more importantly, some will not buy the book when they go looking for good marketing advice.

The other problem I have with the book (and I am being really picky here) is that the authors, from time to time, get too caught up in the widgets and wizardry of technology. The danger here is that the widgets and wizardry change every day. When you mention Palm Pilot III, you are already yesterday's news. The concepts are right, but listing today's technology tools is a mistake.

Today, it's everyone's role to market and sell. The book will help you with everything from implementing a marketing plan and building strategic alliances to selling virtual construction and design-build methodologies. What an effective and powerful tool for the construction industry and about time!

This is quite possibly the single most inspiring work ever written by man, outside of the holy word of God. This book is about competition, and how even the best sometimes really have to work to succeed. Michael Jordan is the best basketball player to ever step onto the court, and even after everything he has been awarded, everything people have said about him, he is still underrated. This book is not so much about basketball, though his examples come from that walk of life. It is about picking yourself up, and making something of yourself, and just as the title explains, never quitting.

As all the books of "search the personal excellence" you have to try it to see if it's true, of course not everybody could try this and other books of this kind because all the people are different.
The advantage of this book among the others of the same theme is that you can read this book in 20 minutes or less, is easy to read because it doesn't have examples on how could you solve this or that problem, and it has a strong message in every chapter, if you just try to do one or two of these messages you can be sure that your life could change.

This is the most inspirational book i have ever read....MJ rockz!!!!!

This giant of the 20th Century, will be known as John Paul the Great by future historians. Today, his teachings are considered "out of touch" with the modern world by the mouth pieces of worldly power, especially on sexual morality. He is considered worthy of derision by them, how wrong they are.

The thought of JPII is trans-modern, it is a bold and sophisticated philosophical approach to the problems that afflict our world. His insights penetrate into the philosphical and spiritual roots of the modern crisis and has found the solution. His approach is a rigorus engagement with modern thought and transcends the dead-end thought that has emerged among intellectual eliets and poisons our universities.

For those who would gloss over his writings, they would miss the mystical import and profound depth of this thinker and leader. So subtle, so rich, it is easily missed.

John Paul II is a prophet to the world, a prophet whose message has largely been ignored.

In the not too distant future, when our need for the TRUTH presses upon us ever more heavily, those who search will find John Paul's writings and be liberated and ennobled by this man's potent seed.

Take this and steep yourself in the truth and allow this man's spirit, the spirit of the Father, Child and Love to fill you.

Here they are, in one collection. Why buy them individually when you can have them all in one place?

This important book provides a study of 12 of Pope John Paul II's encyclicals, from the first of his pontificate, Redemptor Hominis, through the much discussed Evangelium Vitae and Veritatis Splendor, the not-to-be-overlooked Redemptoris Mater, and Ut Unum Sint.

Scholars and non-scholars will be pouring over the Pope's gifts for the next century to come. The encyclicals offer Pope John Paul II's brilliant blueprint for the third millennium. It is a blueprint fashioned from Scripture itself, but with modern insights to carry us forward across the "threshold of hope."

J. Michael Miller, C.S.B. offers an excellent introduction to Papal encyclicals and helpful notes prior to each chapter. In addition, an exhaustive index makes this a superb reference for pastors, teachers, writers, theologians, researchers, and the average layperson desiring to know more about the Church.

Father Miller has captured an entire set of the most significant written works of the Papacy of John Paul II. Clearly the present pope has been a religious and geopolitical figure of first importance in the past 22 years, as has been amply documented in such works as Weigel's 'Witness to Hope' and Bernstein's 'His Holiness.' The universal intellectual achievement however of JPII is understandable most readily in his encyclicals. These documents speak from and reveal a philosopher and theologian of the first quality; indeed, as with Leo XIII, it may take at least a hundred years for the importance of his work to be understood. Fr. Miller has the qualifications on all fronts, as a philosopher, a theologian, and his former employment in the Papal Secretariat of State, to gather and remark on these works. Students of the times and their deepest roots will doubtlessly find here a collection of primary source materials that are indispensible to their understanding.

I enjoyed this book because it was very readable with many illustrations covering many topics that discuss how to prevent heart disease. I especially liked the section devoted to nontraditional risk factors.

This book is very easy to read and contains a lot of information about heart disease and how to prevent it. There are a great deal of pictures and figures. I found this book to be one of the best on the subject. As a dietitian, I found it helped me understand some of the reasons heart disease is so common in the world.

This book is the among the best written on heart disease prevention. It covers a wide range of topics including cholesterol, high blood pressure, smoking and other less commonly accepted risk factors. It is very well illustrated and stocked with facts. Kudos to the authors !

But that is one of the reasons you should buy this book if you want to learn web design tricks that will annoy the heck out of anyone visiting your site. If you're the kind of person that loves to pull naughty tricks on web visitors, you will love this book. Or if you just want to know some cool stuff to try just for the heck of it, you will love this book. While some of this tricks have no value other than to annoy, it's nice to know about them if you do any kind of web design. And for the ones that do have some value, it's nice to know of some new tricks to try (as long as they're not overdone). I'm always looking for the latest "tricks" and when I got this book, I thought it would be more of a "guide to what not to do with a web site." Instead, the author seems to take great pleasure out of pointing out "evil tricks" to try.

Among them? Bothersome Backgrounds, like flashing backgrounds or a scrolling background. Nasty looking text that fades in or out, or changes colors constantly. Links that go nowhere or adding sounds to them. Crazy cursors that change shape or disappear entirely. Popups or windows that fill up a whole screen. Or even ways to "force" visitors to fill out a form within a specified time or to block underage visitors if you have an adult-oriented site (actually that one might come in handy for some!).

At times hilarious and a quick read, this book is enjoyable especially if you have a perverse desire to learn what the annoying things you really shouldn't do with a web site, but have the desire to do anyway.

This is a great book! It will tell you exactly what to do to make the most annoying website on the net! It can make you make unstopable pop-ups, changing backgrounds, forcing readers to scroll over to read a sentence, blast annoying music in the background, make visitors view a slide-show before entering your page, and that's just for beginners! Not only does this book tell you how to be annoying, it has some nice things to help your site, like making sure visitors read the terms of service before entering, and so on. After each section, it tells you how to use the scripts to Not be annoying, so you don't always have to annoy the people.
Any way, this is a great book for people who LOVE to create off-the-wall webpages!

I've read many books by the great psychological theorists like Jung, Adler, Horney etc., but none of them cut to the heart of becoming like Fritz does. Even the other third wave analysts like Rogers and Maslow still take a more abstract approach: they suggest ideas on how to function optimally in interpesonal relationships, but don't dig very deep into the application, or the how. This book uses practices that have parallels in Zen buddhism and other sorts of experience-oriented disciplines, but doesn't praise any particular system or thinker. The presentation of the material is very simple and informal--taken from live lectures. Thus, nothing is academically obscure. Rather, its as though one is listening to a very integrated human being who is beyond the need to aggrandize himself through helping others. This is a very good book for people that wish to open themselves up to the full experience of living.

the idea of gestalt therapy is very healing and the use of it in interpersonal relationships relieves many people of hang-ups that accompany the usual expectations that causes problems in day-to-day communications.

Originally published in 1988 it took twelve more years for a commercial following to gather for the Liaden Universe. The first three books, "Conflict of Honors", "Agent of Change" and "Carpe Diem," were then compiled into a single volume and sold as "Partners in Necessity." During the mild aftermath of their first being published, Sharon Lee and Steve Miller continued to write, but mostly for themselves. If the general public didn't embrace what they wrote, at least they enjoyed writing it.

The strange thing here, is that those three novels were excellent. It's a mystery to me why it took so long for them to succeed, as they should have from the first day. The book market can be an unpredictable battleground. If it weren't for all the positive ratings awarded on Amazon.com, even I would not have read these quality novels.

Written in the vein of space opera, each of the Liaden Universe books, six so far, centre on the Liaden clan Korval. A non terrestrial but human family that ensures its survival in a universe of cut-throat politics with commercial acumen, a fleet of ships and a generations long breeding program aimed at producing pilots, (a rare bread of individual that has the reflexes of a cat and the courage to match). Each book tends to concentrate on one couple, typically as they meet, fall in love and life-bond. All this tends to happen under adverse circumstances; running from secret government agents, duelling with mad ship captains, targeted by a futuristic crime family or just being attacked by a mindless race of aggressive aliens known as the Yxtrang.

The Clan Korval is not always fighting alone however. One of their more fascinating allies is the Clutch Turtles, linked to Korval through an unspecified and mysterious adoption. These aliens are an old race, long lived, slow to act, fascinated by art and possibly the most deadly creatures in known space. There are so many factions, families, races and species involved in the Liaden universe that we need every book these talented authors can produce just to scratch the surface. I just hope their growing popularity gives them enough reasons to continue writing.

After fifteen years, I have kept these books, even though I've winnowed Anne McCaffrey and dozens of other authors from my collection. I think it's the dialogue that brings you back. Like I've mentioned in another review, it's that Regency-style British witty repartee that Lee & Miller have a knack for that keeps you turning the pages, even after all these years. Fans of Lois McMaster Bujold and Catherine Asaro should check these stories out.

"Partners in Necessity" is a collection of the three original Liad books: "Conflict of Honors," "Agent of Change," and "Carpe Diem." How can you not love a series with giant talking turtles?! A lot of space opera, a little bit of romance, some complicated cultural clashes and you've got the pattern for a Lee & Miller story. Oh, and don't forget the humor! Lots of that.

And for anyone who cares, Val Con and Miri are my favorites! I love a herione that doesn't start out two emotional rungs below her hero (like Shan and Priscilla or Aelliana and Daav or millions of other scifi couples). I can't stand a wimpy, frightened heroine and thank God there isn't much of that in Miri, the former mercenary soldier!

Get these before they go out of print again!

Partners In Necessity is one of the greatest gifts my budget has ever seen. You see, I am a huge fan of the three novels that it is a re-print of, but they are long since out of print, and while the original paperbacks can be found, used bookstores charge a fortune for them. This is a heck of a problem when one is trying to find copies so as to use them as bribes to friends to return -my- copies. I'm not kidding, this has been a problem for me, because the books are simply that good. It's a space opera, with characters one can't help but admire, and a style of writing that just grabs you and isn't going to let you go until you've finished. They also have tremendous re-read value, this isn't a book one reads once and sets aside. It begs to be read again and again, and it becomes only more fun each time.

Although I read science fiction and fantasy voraciously, I had never heard of the Liaden novels until Meisha Merlin republished the first three books, Conflict of Honors, Agent of Change, and Carpe Diem in an omnibus edition. I just couldn't help myself--the artwork on the cover forced me to read them. And I wasn't sorry.

Plan B is a direct sequel to Carpe Diem. While some reviews have suggest that readers can begin with Plan B, I don't recommend doing so. The characters' personalities are fleshed out in previous books as well as concrete examples of the Liaden and Clutch cultures. For example, the concept of Liaden melant'i is present in this novel, but is perfectly explained in Conflict of Honors (this is the first novel collected in Partners in Necessity); if I hadn't read CoH, I'm afraid I would have missed the point.

Miri Robertson, a former mercenary sergeant, and Val Con yos'Phelium are fleeing several organizations who want them dead. A crime syndicate has put a hit on Miri. Val Con used to be a scout/spy for the mysterious Department of Interior, an nefarious group who are loyal to the citizens of Liad but have no conscience in achieving their goals. When Val Con discovers the covert nature of the group, he defects. When the "ends justify the means", the Department of Liad has no ethical problem in hunting Val Con and destroying his outspoken and half-breed family.

Having escaped to Miri's family's homeworld, disaster strikes when a warlike alien race attacks the planet in conquest. Will Val Con's family and Miri's mercenary friends arrive in time to save them?

This is a good bridge novel and leaves the reader aching for more.

After a long wait, I am delighted to report that this book is an excellent continuation of one of my all time favorite series. I read the 3 earlier books years ago and have been on the lookout for this one ever since. I often reread those three earlier books (they are being republished early next year BTW)and am pleased to add Plan B to my list of all time favorites.

While this book does build on the earlier novels it can be read & enjoyed entirely on its own merit. Of course I strongly recommend picking up the other three as they become available, I know I will be picking up additional copies. :-)

Warning this book can be hazardous to your job. Do not pick it up unless you have the time to read it in one sitting. Everyone I have talked to or loaned my copy has been unable to put it down.

Happy reading!

Ten years is too long to wait for a Liaden-universe fix. All of the wonderful plot lines (Val Con and Miri, Shan and Priscilla, Anthora and Jeeves, Edgar and Sheather, even the Xtrang) were picked up where they were left off after the trilogy of ten years ago. I have read and re-read those three books until they are in decrepit condition (and can't wait for the compliation of the three to be published). I lost sleep because I made the foolish mistake of starting to read it as soon as I received it in the mail. Couldn't put it down. It had me laughing out loud and grinning like an idiot for hours. I plan to start re-reading it immediately, ordering anything else I can get my hands on that takes place in Liaden space, watching for the projected magazine articles, and addicting my friends and family to the series. Please, please, write more Liaden-universe books and stories. I'd settle for an even hundred.

G Wayne Miller's amazing book the "King of Hearts" is a wonderful book that will captivate people from all walks of life.

For those of us who have been touched by Congenital Heart Defects and Heart Disease the book touches so many chords it is hard to describe.

Reading this book from a mothers perspective( my son had open heart surgery at seven months of age) truly gave me new insight into the brave and courageous pioneers of open heart surgery.

Surgeons of today can truly thank the pioneers such as Dr.Lillehei for his conviction to pursue the development of techniques that have been passed down through the years. Many of our children would not be alive today had it not been for his perserverance and determination.

King of hearts is a book each of us should read.....heart defects and heart disease touch so many lives and it is authors such as G. Wayne Miller who bring the history of heart surgery to the present day with such caring and understanding.

G. Wayne Miller encourages us to remember in our hearts the people whose lives were lost in the pursuit of the answers to the mystery of open heart surgery......the sons,daughters, brothers, sisters, mothers and fathers they all were someones loved ones.

Thank you for writing this book.........from the heart of a mother.

Mr. Miller's style of suspense keeps us reading to see what happens next. He vividly portrays the progress of open heart surgery, step by painful and bloody step. The reader suffers with the parents and doctors with each failed operation on each child, but watching as each technical problem is solved makes everything ok in the end.

The reader learns about various congenital heart diseases of children, the symptoms, the physical descriptions, and the outcomes. Mr. Miller explains the procedures very well so no prior knowledge of surgery, medicine, or heart physiology is required.

My favorite part is the race with the Mayo Clinic to perfect the heart-lung machine. The Mayo Clinic not only loses, but loses almost comically. Another favorite part is how the pace-maker was invented. This story along with the heart-lung machine story make this book worth reading.

If you are interested in medicine, surgery, heart problems, medical history, medical technology, or just want to learn, then you will appreciate "King of Hearts."

King of Hearts contains the topics of great literature - death, heroism and pride. The real beauty of this story is that it's all true. This is the tale of a brillant doctor and flawed human being who overcame great odds to develop open heart surgery. How quickly we forget in our technologically advanced world about the human sacrifices made for the sake of medical advancement. This book is a moving testament to the doctors and patients involved in the early struggle to repair heart defects. I was hooked from the opening scene and barely looked up until the final page. King of Hearts reads like a thriller and Miller carefully supports each plot twist with facts culled from medical archives and countless interviews. I think it is an impressive piece of reporting. Moreover, it is a powerful piece of writing. Miller uses his story telling skills to bring to life a milestone in medical history. So if you're in the medical field, you're an ER fan, or you crave great journalism, I highly recommend this book.

Mr. Miller has done a great job presenting music theory in a way that many people who are not college music students may enjoy and understand the concepts better. There are a few incorrect explanations in atleast one area: rhythms. On p. 59 a commmon mistake of "four quarter note rests" is mentioned. Either you can have four quarter notes OR four quarter rests; not both. The other is on p. 68 where the "Eighth-Note Time Signatures" show 'beats per measure' incorrectly. EX: In 6/8 time, there are 2 beats per bar, not 6. This is a common misconception among some students due to the fact that compound meter is more difficult to grasp, being subdivision of 3 instead of 2. Overall, I feel this is a good book and presented in a friendly and not "so dry" a manner as many texts on the subject are presented. Miller's use of musical examples in popular music and classical are quite nice as well. Great job!

What a nice little gem this was to find. I have a degree from Berklee College Of Music in Music Production & Engineering. For the last 15 years I've been hung up reading equipment manuals and music software manuals. Recently I decided that I wanted to pursue something I've always known I had the ability to do but never took the time to craft; the art of songwriting. This book served as a great refresher! The author hits on all the key concepts that you need to sit down and create an original song from scratch. No book out there can make you a great songwriter, that holy grail does not exist! The only thing a book can do is provide you with the tools you need to get started, and this one does it rather well. To supplement this text I would highly recommend a book on modern arranging. Once you have a song structured out, melody written, and harmonized, the arrangement is the finishing touch that can really set it apart and make it a memorable experience for the listener. I've yet to find a relevant book on the concept of modern song arranging. If anyone has a suggestion, please let me know. This one is a steal for its price!

This is a great book for someone who wants to understand basic music theory. Most books I have looked at assume a fair knowledge to begin with. Not so here. The author assumes that you are starting from scratch and takes you through everything from reading music, to composing melodies, to chord construction and beyond. I have played guitar since high school, but never really understood musically what was behind what I was doing. I have wanted to write songs, but have been intimidated by my lack of knowledge of theory. This book has given me the knowledge I need to get started.